Classifying and separating machine



Jan. 31, 1933. G. A. ROALFE 1,895,771

CLASSIFYING AND SEPARATING' MACHINE I Filed Oct. 23, 1929 i' lllllllllllllll INVENTOR GEORGE H. Hon/J's H/H/H/H/FL/ %/HTTOHNEY.

Patented Jan. 31, 1933 3 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. ROALFE, or LONG-BEACH; CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 'ro isABEL n. OALFE', r v OFLOS ANGnLEscALrFoRNIA CLASSiF YING AND SE-P'ARATING MACHINE A A Application filed October 23, 1929. Serial No. 401,710.

This invention relates to a classifying and separating machine for substances which are different in specific gravity or shape of theindividual particles or both.

'5 An object of my invention is to provide a novel appliance for the separation of various substances by means of a rising column of air, and a falling column of the substances. The rising column of air being restricted at '10 intervals by orifices. V

A further object is to provide a device of the character stated in which the orifices may be adjusted.

Still another object is to provide a novel '15 classifying and separating machine in which a very delicate and complete separation of the materials is accomplished by means of the side recovery.

Another object is to provide a classifying Z and separating machine in which a portion of the air is withdrawn with the material recovered at the side outlets in the tower.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my classifying and separating machine.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the air intake.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a vertical tower which may be rectangular or circular in cross-section. A feed hopper 2 is provided at the top of the tower 1 for the purpose of feeding the mixed substances into the tower. A lip 3 extends at an angle from the bottom of the hopper 2 for the purpose of deflecting the fed material to one side of the tower for a purpose to be further described. v

A plurality of catch basins 4 are provided at one side of the tower 1 and a pipe 5 extends from each of the basins to a suitable collecting element not shown. A portion of the air also passes out of the pipe 5 and blows the material into the collector. Obviously the basins 4 may be either entirely within, or on the outside of the tower 1. A plate 6 extends from the upper edge of each of the basins 4 to substantially the opposite wall of the tower -1.' A vertically extending bafile 7 depends from the plate 6 thus forming an orifice 8 between the wall of the tower and the baflie 7. The bafile 7 is adjustable. horizontally by means of a turnbuckle 9, or other suitable'appliance By adjusting the baffle 7 the sizeof the orifice 8 is varied and consequently the Velocity of air through the orifices is-changed and this has-a material efi'ect inthe' separation or concentration of the materials as will befurther described. y i An air intake lOis provided inthe tower 1 7 below the lowermost basin 4 and air is forced through this intake from a fan or other suithis able appliance (not shown). A collecting cone 11 is provided at the bottom of the tower 1 below the intake lO and allofthe substances or substance which is notcollected or separated in the basins 4 falls intothe' cone andis drawn oil? as one of the products, ji The purpose of the lip 3, as previously stated, is to deflect the incoming material'into the rising column of air from the orifices '8. The lip also prevents the material fromfalling directly into the uppermost basin The basins4 and orifices 8 are superposed so that the collection can be made from one side-of the tower. 1 Y Q In ope-ration, the air passesthroughthe oris fices and swfrls and expands'above the orifices thus casting one of the s'ubstances (a fra'c-. tional product) into a basin at and thence through the pipe 5. This'lateral movement of the air removesfrom themain stream of falling or suspended material that fra'ction for which adjustment has been made. The velocity of the air is naturally greatercloser to the bottom ofthe tower and 'us'ually 'the materials of lighter specific r avity will be collected in the top andgra uated as they move downwardly in the towr although 'adjustment of the orifices may vary this condition. By regulating the feed, the amountof air, and the size or the 0rifices'8, each of basins 4 willrecover a given size and weight of material or product. have also found that" careful adjustment will enable ;me"to separate substances of close specific gravity but the individual particles of whichvary in 1100 2 V c o 1,895,771

form or ph sical character. Itis obvious that the ori ces may lie adjacent to one or more sides, or be entirely surrounded by a catch basin. The shape ofthe catch basins forming an orifice with the walls of the tower,

an air intake adjacent the lower end of the one side of the tower, said catch basins being arranged in superposed relation, a discharge 7 pipe extending from each of the catch basins through which a fractional product and alr is discharged, a plate extending inwardly from each of the basins, a depending baflle extending from each of the plates, said bafli'e forming an orifice with the wall of the tower, an air intake adjacent the bottom of the tower,

and collecting means at the bottomof the tower, and means-to adjust said baflle plates whereby the ,size of the orifices is regulated.

. In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature. i ,GEORGE A. ROALFE;

tower, the'air from the intake passing through I the orifices in decreasing volume, and colleeting means at the bottom of the tower. 1

f 2. A tower, feed means at thetopTof the tower, a plurality vof-cat'ch basins arranged in; superposed relation in the tower,1outlet pipes extending from each basin through V which fractional air and products are dis- I charged, asubstantially verticallyextending baflie adjacent each ofthebasins, said bafiles' forming anorifice with the walls of the tower,

an air intake adjacent the lower end of the tower, the air from the intake passing through theorifices in decreasing volume, and col lettingmeans at the bottom of the'tower, and

of the: orifices is varied. 1

.me'ans to adjust said baflles whereby the size 3. A tower,ifeed means at the top of the r tower, a plurality of catch basins arranged g infsuperposedrelation in the tower,1outlet pipes extending? from. each basinj through whichfractional. air and products are discharged,:a substantially vertically extending bafiie adjacentjeach of the basins, said baflies formingan orifice with the walls ofthe tower, an faii" intake adjacent the lower end of the tower, the air from the intake passing through-the orifices in. decreasing volume, I and collecting means at the bottom of the tower, and means to adjust said baflles whereby the size of the orifices is varied, deflection 7 plates extending from the basins tothe vertically'extending baflie.

4 A. classifying -and separating machine comprising a tower, feed means at the top of the'tower, a plurality of catch basins on one side of the tower, said catch basins being arranged in superposed relation, a'discharge g p I pipe extending from each of the catch basins 7 through which a fractional product and air is discharged,- a plate extending inwardly from each of the basins, a depending bafile extending from each of the plates, said bafiie forming an orifice with the wall of the tower, an air intake adjacent the bottom of the tower,

W and collecting means at the bottom' of the 7 tower. I V V j 5. A classifying and separating machine comprising a tower, feed means at the top i of the tower, aplurality of catch basins on 

